The Meaning of the Relatioship Between Bale Nyungcung Roof and Inner Room in Architectural Design of Mosques at Sunda Tatar a Ca

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https://journal.unwira.ac.id/index.php/ARTEKS Research paper doi: 10.30822/arteks.v6i1.538

The meaning of the relatioship between bale nyungcung roof and inner room in architectural design of Mosques at Sunda Tatar A case study of Majalaya, Manonjaya, and Banten Great Mosques

Roza Rahmadjasa Mintaredja, Purnama Salura* , Bachtiar Fauzy

Architecture Study Program, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Katolik Parahyangan Jl. Ciumbuleuit no. 94, Bandung, Indonesia

ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT Article history: There has been a decline in the form and function of Sundanese Received May 19, 2020 vernacular architecture for large buildings due to the absence of Received in revised form June 26, 2020 artifacts in village houses. The data on palace or keraton and Accepted October 11, 2020 terraced roofs are only found in lontar and from outside observers Available online April 01, 2021 in the XVI century. Meanwhile, the phenomenon of the bale Keywords: nyungcung roof emerged on the mosque in the XVI-XIX centuries at Bale nyungcung West Java after disappearing for more or less two centuries. The Inner room reappearance makes it interesting to study this concept, especially Meaning relationship with the focus on its relationship with the inner room of the mosque. Mosque This research was conducted on the Great Mosque spread in Sunda Sundanese architecture Tatar such as the West Java and Banten Provinces with buildings of Majalaya, Manonjaya, and Banten used as case studies. It was conducted qualitatively and interpretatively using the building anatomical theory to analyze the scope of shape and the bale nyungcung roof. The results showed the relationship between the *Corresponding author: Purnama Salura roof and the inner space is a reflection of the adjustment in the Architecture Study Program, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Katolik mosque's basic reference with the Bale Nyungcung roof used as one Parahyangan, Indonesia of the Sundanese local building features. Email: [email protected] ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3652-

7192

Introduction modern architecture which are considered to be completely uniform (Broadbent 1987; Jencks The difference between humans and other living 1997; Bonta 1979; Salura 2015). There have been things is their ability to give meaning to life. The attempts by several academics to reexamine the term ‘homo sapiens’ means wise creatures and it essence of architecture through the vernacular shows human does not only act on sensory architecture diversity which was considered very perception but also capable of interpreting and interesting because several buildings are built in abstracting the perception (Danesi 2007; Harari locations with similar climates. Their findings 2014). This unique ability enables humans to showed vernacular architecture or culture is create a culture which distinguishes them from precisely the main factor influencing the shape of animals (Hurford 2007; Pinker 2018) and this also buildings while technology only plays a means all aspect of their lives are attached to supporting role (Rapoport 1969; 2005). This meanings. further confirms the importance of meaning in Architects experts and academics started to architectural form. note the importance of the aspects of meaning in Religion has been posited as the channel architecture in order to overcome the failures of humans interpret transcendent realities outside

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ARTEKS : Jurnal Teknik Arsitektur, Volume 6 Issue 1, April 2021 pISSN 2541-0598; eISSN 2541-1217

their scope (Eliade 2013). This means the comprehensively to ease the search for the shape meaning aspect is also inherent in the and material in the roof and inner room. architectural designs of their worship centers as a The second step involved using the Sundanese means of supporting religion. These explanations, cosmology theory (Budimansyah 2019; therefore, show it is interesting to discourse Kurniawan 2014; Nurwansyah 2013) and mosque architecture due to its diverse shapes in exploring the architectural meaning contained in each country and variations from other religious the shape and material of the roof and room in the buildings (Paramitha and Salura 2020). case study (Salura 2007; Salura and Fauzy 2012). According to historical records, the Walisanga did The third step was linking all anatomical not merely "import" mosque architectural form in analysis by relating the meaning of the bale the Arabian Peninsula but also adapted it to the nyungcung roof with the shape of the inner room local community at the beginning of its presence in each case study. in Indonesia (Ashadi 2012). Their hallmark is The case study was selected based on certain usually highlighted through the tiled roofs criteria with the first being the fact that the commonly known as overlapping roofs and also mosque architecture uses a bale nyungcung roof, as bale nyungcung in Tatar Sunda. second, is the oldest, historic, and classified as a Research has been conducted to conservation building, third, the capacity is comprehensively review Sundanese culture, relatively equal, and fourth, still functioning especially from the anthropological perspective properly. (Rosidi 2010; Lubis 2000). Unfortunately, none Those found to have satisfied these has discussed the meaning of bale nyungcung requirements are (1) Majalaya (2) Manonjaya, despite its important historical value and its use in and (3) Banten Great Mosques as shown in figure the interior of the oldest vernacular mosques in 1. Sunda Tatar. Moreover, there are also very rare academic publications conducted to comprehensively examine Sundanese vernacular architecture, especially as a worship building. This research was conducted to fill this research gap by exploring and uncovering all the meaning relationships between the bale nyungcung roof and the inner room shape in the architectural design of the mosque. Based on these objectives, this study is expected to be beneficial to architectural scholarship by providing input with the ability to academically explain this relationship. It also enriches the rare Sundanese architecture concept and serves as an inspiration for further and detailed research on Sundanese architecture. Majalaya Great Mosque

Method

The research steps are written sequentially although, in reality, they are not always linear according to the writing. It is also possible to run the analysis steps simultaneously. The first step was to record all the case studies followed by redrawing the whole to examine the building carefully. The results were analyzed based on theoretical anatomy (Salura 2018) to classify the parts of the building anatomically and

Roza Rahmadjasa Mintaredja, Purnama Salura, Bachtiar Fauzy: The meaning of the relatioship between bale nyungcung roof and inner room in architectural design of Mosques at Sunda Tatar

mosque’s basic form in general as shown in figure 2. Moreover, the prayer room is oriented towards the Qibla and emphasized by the axis formed by the main entrance with the mihrab room which symmetrically divides the plan. The floor is in the form of cement pavement with a ceramic finish and covered with carpet to provide a warm impression in the room. Furthermore, the main room enclosure walls have considerable large window holes indicating its connectivity with the additional room on its three sides. The main columns supporting the contrast roof are visible in the main room, and their presence rather disturbs the pilgrims' view towards the pulpit position.

Qibla Manonjaya Great Mosque

Banten Great Mosque Figure 1. Three Mosques in the case study Figure 2. Floor plan of Majalaya Grand Mosque

The structure and construction of the roof, exposed as aesthetic elements in the inner room of the Mosque Result and discussion

The first case study was analyzed using architectural anatomy theory with a focus only on the aspects relating to the scope of the form. This involved a comprehensive analysis of each element in the building scope to fit the research focus. This was followed by elucidating the meaning of the bale nyuncung roof and its relation to the meaning of the inner room.

The hole in the upper part of the bale nyungcung roof Majalaya Great Mosque transmits light to the main hall of the Mosque The main interior of the Majalaya mosque has Figure 3. The lower room on the bale nyungcung roof a square shape with an additive linear room on the which blends with the main room to create a vertical North, South, and East sides functioning as an room which provides sacred meaning to the main room additional area when the main room is full. The of the Mosque square shape refers to the typology of the

ARTEKS : Jurnal Teknik Arsitektur, Volume 6 Issue 1, April 2021 pISSN 2541-0598; eISSN 2541-1217

At the top, the vertical room radiates reflected Divinity/Keilahian light gently into the main hall of the Mosque to create a very strong sacred atmosphere in the Mosque. This, therefore, strengthens the divinity (Illahi) meaning which reflects the human relationship with its creator as shown in figure 4.

Divinity/Keilahian

Human relations

Figure 5. Front view of the Majalaya Grand Mosque

Vertical axis

Buana nyungcung

Buana panca tengah

Buana larang

Figure 4. Section of the Majalaya Grand Mosque building

The outside view of the mosque shows the roof proportion is very dominant against the wall with three stacks separated by a wall and provided with a light hole as indicated in figure 5. The Figure 6. Decomposed isometry of the bale nyungcung roof in the Majalaya Great Mosque incoming light is reflected to gently illuminate the entire main hall and provide a sacred meaning to Manonjaya Great Mosque the room. The Mosque is generally dominated by It is also in the basic form of a square plan with vertical elements and this indicates the message the North, South, and East sides surrounded by being delivered leads to divinity (Illahi). additive linear room. The floor is in the form of

pavement with a ceramic coated carpet to provide a warm impression. Moreover, the main room enclosure wall is a wide opening created to ensure natural light enters the main room. The upper room enclosure is a flat ceiling designed to cover the entire main upper room and distinguishes its relationship between the main room from the bale nungcung roof room. The main room is, therefore, expressed as strongly horizontal as indicated in figure 7. Moreover, there is no sacred meaning attached to the relationship of the bale nyungcung roof with the inner room as depicted in figure 8. The meaning associated with the room is to express the relationship between humans while

Roza Rahmadjasa Mintaredja, Purnama Salura, Bachtiar Fauzy: The meaning of the relatioship between bale nyungcung roof and inner room in architectural design of Mosques at Sunda Tatar

the spiritual meaning shows their relationship Divinity / Keilahiann with God as shown in figure 9.

Qibla

Human relations

Figure 9. Front view of the Manonjaya Great Mosque

Vertical axis Buana nyungcung

Buana panca tengah

Buana larang

Figure 7. Floor plan of the Manonjaya Great Mosque

Figure 10. Decomposed isometry of the bale nyungcung roof in the Manonjaya Great Mosque

Banten Great Mosque The layout of the main room is square and there is an increase in the congregational room on the East and South sides. Moreover, the Qibla orientation is characterized by the mihrab room Horizontal Room even though there is little variation in their dimensions as shown in figure 11. The visualization of the inner room is dominated by large columns and this disturbs the pilgrims' view Figure 8. Section of the Manonjaya Great Mosque of the mihrab. The floor is also in the form of building pavement with ceramic finish covered with carpet while the main room enclosure walls are observed The exterior shows a different perspective to be thick and massive with several entrances to with the proportion of the building roof and body the main hall. The natural light entering through observed to be relatively balanced as presented in the door holes is, however, relatively small. figure 9. The balance in the horizontal-vertical element indicates the equilibrium in human life in the world such as their relations with others as well as with God.

ARTEKS : Jurnal Teknik Arsitektur, Volume 6 Issue 1, April 2021 pISSN 2541-0598; eISSN 2541-1217

Qibla The hole in the upper part of the bale nyungcung roof transmits light to the main room of the Mosque

The structure and construction of the roof are exposed as aesthetic elements in the main room

Figure 13. The main room interior of the Banten Great Mosque

The horizontal and vertical expressions are relatively balanced from the exterior view. The repeated dimension of the listplank line element Figure 11. Floor plan of Banten Great Mosque is able to balance the vertical direction of the

three-umpak pyramid on the bale nyungcung The upper room enclosure in the form of a stacking roof. Moreover, the aesthetic ornament ceiling follows the shape pattern of the bale on the top in the form of two small roof umpak nyungcung roof. This, therefore, creates a strong reinforces the vertical axis on the bale nyungcung vertical room at the center of the main room. roof and symbolizes the five prayer times of There is also a window at the top separating each Islamic teachings as indicated in figure 14. bale nyungcung roof structure and the light entering from the roof adds to the lighting quality in the main room while providing sacred meaning Vertical axis as indicated in figures 12 and 13.

Divinity/Keilahiann

Horizontal axis

Human relations

Figure 14. Front view of Banten Great Mosque

Figure 12. Section of the Banten Great Mosque building

Roza Rahmadjasa Mintaredja, Purnama Salura, Bachtiar Fauzy: The meaning of the relatioship between bale nyungcung roof and inner room in architectural design of Mosques at Sunda Tatar

Vertical axis

Figure 15. Decomposed isometry of the bale nyungcung roof in the Banten Great Mosque

The cosmology of bale roofs The shape of the bale nyungcung roof is influenced by Sundanese cosmology (Sumardjo 2009; Lubis 2000; Kurniawan 2014) which outlines three realms (Buana). Firstly, the buana nyungcung which involves the divine realm, natural world or awang-uwung nature (wilderness) and occupies the highest position in natural systematics. Secondly, the buana panca tengah or ambu tengah describes the womb as a human home or Sanghyang creature as the Figure 16. The basic philosophy of forming a bale intermediate nature processing human waruga nyungcung roof (body) or the wayang-wayang universe (wayang realm). Thirdly, Buana larang or ambu handap which means the underworld, as a place where humans return, or land of death (Anisa, Conclusion

Satwikasari, and Saputra 2019). Several conclusions were drawn from the analysis The bale nyungcung roof shape was created on and they are as follows: (1) The basic reference of two basic benchmarks which are tri buana which the mosque's architectural building is the Qibla indicates the existence of three natures and wa orientation which is marked by the placement of opat indicating the papat kalima pancer’s the mihrab room on the wall facing the prayer explanation of four natural elements such as direction as observed from the three mosques water, wind, fire and land on earth and in the studied. Meanwhile, the Qibla orientation at the human body. Meanwhile, the center (pancer) is Majalaya Mosque is further strengthened by the observed in human beings as the micro-nature and axis created due to the mihrab position in line with in the universe as macro-nature. These two the main entrance having a larger dimension. (2) benchmarks are symbolized in the form of a three- The shape of the bale nyungcung roof is clearly stacking roof with the basic shape of a square expressed in the main room of Majalaya and the geometry as shown in figure 16. Banten Mosque and this means a strong vertical

room is formed at the center. This shows the

spiritual connection between humans and God while the sacred meaning of the two rooms is obtained from the inclusion of soft light through

ARTEKS : Jurnal Teknik Arsitektur, Volume 6 Issue 1, April 2021 pISSN 2541-0598; eISSN 2541-1217

holes in the bale nyungcung roof. Meanwhile, it Padjadjaran. was impossible to obtain the vertical room and http://repository.unpad.ac.id/frontdoor/index/ sacred meaning using the roof at the Manonjaya index/docId/28666. Mosque. This is due to the enclosure at the top of Danesi, Marcel. 2007. The Quest for Meaning: A the mosque in the form of a flat ceiling which Guide to Semiotic Theory and Practice. explicitly separates the main room from the room Canada: University of Toronto Press, under the roof and this leads to the loss of the Scholarly Publishing Division. Divinity expressions and sacred meanings. The Eliade, Mircea. 2013. The Quest: History and concept of combining the main room with the Meaning in Religion. Chicago, United States: room formed by the bale nyungcung roof is able University of Chicago Press. to provide a deep understanding of relations Harari, Yuval Noah. 2014. Sapiens: A Brief between humans as well as with God. It also has History of Humankind. The Guardian. the ability to strengthen the sacred meaning of the London: Harvill Secker. mosque's main room. (3) The exterior view Hurford, James R. 2007. The Origins of Meaning showed the use of the roof successfully expresses (Oxford Studies in the Evolution of verticality interpreted as the spiritual relationship Language). 1st ed. Great Britain: Oxford between humans and God. This is in line with the University Press. basic philosophy of the bale nyungcung roof form Jencks, Charles. 1997. Theories and Manifestoes which is tri buana and wa opat kalima pancer. (4) of Contemporary Architecture. Edited by Karl The use of roofs on the mosque building is due to Kropf. London: Academy Press. a compromise between the rules of Islamic rituals Kurniawan, Aris. 2014. ‘Kajian Historis Dan and Sundanese cosmology or inculturation which Filosofis Kujang’. Rekarupa: Jurnal Desain has become a local tradition. Dan Seni Rupa 2 (1): 29–40. https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/267848988.p df. References Lubis, Nina Herlina. 2000. Tradisi Dan Transformasi Sejarah Sunda. Bandung: Anisa, Anggana Fitri Satwikasari, and M. Sahril Humaniora Utama Press. Adhi Saputra. 2019. ‘Penerapan Konsep Nurwansyah, Ilham. 2013. ‘Naskah Lontar Sunda Arsitektur Tradisional Sunda Pada Desain Kuna Sanghyang Siksa Kandang Karesian Tapak Lanskap Dan Bangunan Fasilitas (624): Sebuah Anomali Pada Pernaskahan Resort’. In Seminar Nasional Sains Dan Sunda Kuna’. Jumantara: Jurnal Manuskrip Teknologi, 1–10. Jakarta: Fakultas Teknik Nusantara 4 (1). Universitas Muhammadiyah Jakarta. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.37014/juman https://jurnal.umj.ac.id/index.php/semnastek/ tara.v4i1.408. article/view/5227/3506. Paramitha, Nadya Wicitra, and Purnama Salura. Ashadi. 2012. ‘Perkembangan Arsitektur Mesjid 2020. ‘Relasi Antara Sakralitas Ritual Walisongo Di Jawa: Perubahan Ruang Dan Peribadatan Berjamaah Dengan Konfigurasi Bentuk’. Nalars: Jurnal Arsitektur FT-UMJ Spasial Arsitektur Masjid Sulthoni 11 (2): 143–60. Plosokuning’. ARTEKS : Jurnal Teknik https://jurnal.umj.ac.id/index.php/nalars/articl Arsitektur 5 (2). e/view/587/548. https://doi.org/10.30822/arteks.v5i2.103. Bonta, Juan Pablo. 1979. Architecture and Its Pinker, Steven. 2018. Enlightenment Now: The Interpretation: A Study of Expressive Systems Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and in Architecture. 1st ed. New York: Rizzoli Progress. New York: Viking Penguin. International Publication Inc. https://books.google.co.id/books?id=J6grDw Broadbent, Geoffrey. 1987. The Deep Structure of AAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=Pinker, Architecture Dalam, Sign, Symbol and +2018+ENLIGHTENMENT+NOW&hl=id& Architecture. Edited by John Willey Sons. sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiV3r6BocTqAhVUb30 New York. KHdnfC3MQ6AEwAHoECAMQAg#v=one Budimansyah. 2019. ‘Rekonstruksi Kota Galuh Pakwan (1371 - 1475 M) Dan Kota Pakwan Pajajaran (1482 - 1521 M)’. Universitas

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ARTEKS : Jurnal Teknik Arsitektur, Volume 6 Issue 1, April 2021 pISSN 2541-0598; eISSN 2541-1217